Love From a Marionette
by Parasolynn
Summary: Sasori was never one to love, yet alone show emotion. He was the puppet master of the Akatsuki, it was HE who pulled the strings. How is it that a certain blond clay artist could manage to tug at his heartstings and make him feel...? SasoDei
1. Phase One: Awakening

**A/N: I know nobody ever reads this shit, 'cause the author really just WRITES fanfics. I'm not gonna rant so, here we go, chapter one. : P I tried, and I LOVE this pairing, so I put my all into writing it, hope y'all enjoy. I'm trying not to make them OOC or queer. It's kind of difficult keeping Deidara not-too-happy and Sasori-stoic-as-ever-but-has-emotion. It's not easy, hehe. THIS IS THE FIRST FIC I'VE EVER WRITTEN. O0o I'm dead serious…**

-**SPOILER**: written in memory of Sasori and Deidara

**LISTENING TO: Scars - by Papa Roach**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of the characters concerning. I own only Asuna, Uo, and Riku, and they don't qualify as OC's.**

**Marionette Phase: **_**Awakening**_

" _**Open your eyes, my puppet: no longer are you bound to the wooden abyss of the dusted shelf. Awaken yourself from your restless sleep, and join me in our serenade of strings. "**_

Deidara smothered an airy yawn with the backside of his hand. Sitting up on his wrinkled bedcovers, he shoved his shivering feet into the comfort of his indigo Akatsuki footwear. His fingers fumbled with the purple material as he adjusted his feet to the sandal's padding, wincing as his fingernails accidentally dug into the sensitive spot of his foot. Hissing in frustration, he forced his back against the wall, feet splayed into the air, fingers arched in its heel as he struggled to fit his feet in the disagreeable material. Sighing with satisfaction as both feet finally slid into both, he slid off the side of the mattress and settled himself onto the floor. His fingers drew abstract patterns on the dusted surface of the redwood boards, reflecting his current bored state. Deidara arched his brow in frustration. When was his Danna coming back? Sasori had said something about training with Itachi, but Deidara knew better to believe that; the puppet master most likely piped up an impromptu lie to make Deidara leave him alone. Lately, the marionette had taken great interest in sparring with the stoic Uchiha. This bothered Deidara slightly.

"I'm just as good as that damned weasel, un," he muttered, straining his voice to be as convincing as possible. He rested his face in the bend of his splayed arm, staring at the puppets that littered the room. Most were ninjas that his partner had changed, usually the ones with higher fighting potential or were extremely beautiful. The latter was rare. "Stupid puppets. Not like there's anything else to look at." he mumbled, azure eye flickering at numerous dull lifeless ones. Sasori's puppets had always been the boy's passion. His art. His life. His body, literally. Although Deidara would never bring himself to admit, he actually liked the redhead's puppets. He loved how the puppet master was able to transform a once-living human into a wooden combat machine, each with special abilities and strengths. Allowing a small grin to grace his lips, he forced his body off the floor as he made his way to a set of puppets.

"This one's pretty, un."

Deidara stared in awe at his Danna's work. A small puppet, he doubted Sasori even used it in battle. The puppet's design was fairly simple. A small wooden bird, a cardinal by the looks of it. He ran a slender finger over the crook of its wooden jointed wing, allowing the ripples of the feathers to massage the pad of his hand. If only Sasori had painted it, it's beauty would have been further enhanced. His gaze adverted to that of a geisha-looking puppet, propped against a niche of a wall on Sasori's side of the room. Her raven hair rippled down her slender shoulders, rose-painted lips taunting. Deidara chuckled. Sasori even kept her crimson crane-adorned kimono in perfect preservation after killing--transforming her. This...was most likely one of the Suna nin's "better works". His baby-blue eyes widened as he realized Sasori had added upgrades to this beautiful puppet. Hanging from her snow-colored obi was a tiny scroll. About three inches, nonetheless.

He reached out to touch it, curiosity getting the better of him. His fingers were on the bridge of contact, the tip of his nails kissing the fabric of the scroll's exterior--

"What are you doing, brat?" an icy voice demanded, slicing into his train of thought.

Deidara jumped at the sound, startled. "Oh…Sasori-Danna. It's just you." He let out a sigh of relief, a crooked smile gracing his lips.

Sasori threw him a disgusted glare. Immedietely striding over to his beloved creation to do a quick 'damage check'. "Of course it's me. Who else would bother to enter a room with your smell lingering all over it? Or even your existence."

"Danna, that was mean, un."

"I don't care. What did you do to my puppet while I was absent?"

"Nothing, un."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm serious, un!"

"Why am I believing you, brat?"

". . . You are?" Deidara grinned, tucking a strand of silky golden hair behind his ear. Sasori was being strangely _nice_. The last time Hidan so much _touched _the Suna nin's lesser puppets, he had his limbs missing and hidden for a week. Sasori was a genius when it came to hiding places.

"I CAN'T FIND MY FUCKING LEG!" he remembered a decapitated Hidan head shrieking. "THAT ASSWIPE HID TOOK **_BOTH OF EM_** AND **_RAN_**. WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON HIM, NOT EVEN THE GREAT JASHIN WILL BE ABLE TO PRESERVE HIS DAMNED WOODEN PENIS."

Sasori sighed, striding over to his beloved puppet, checking its joints and hair to ensure no damage. His fingers ran over the kimono's collar as they straightened out the wrinkles behind the puppet's neck. He nodded in approval, as he scanned the puppet up and down. "Please do not touch Asuna," he said quietly, locking his ash-rose orbs with those of the Iwa nin's azure ones, his stoic features morphing into a dead serious one.

Deidara blinked. The puppet had a _name_. Leave it to Sasori.

"Touchy, touchy now, are we?" he sang, momentarily forgetting to tack an "Un" at the end of his statement.

Sasori's eyes narrowed, his lips curling into a sinister frown. His calm features darkened into a fearful one, "Shut the hell up, brat." Deidara whimpered. Sasori's pretty face was now a replica of hell.

Deidara shrunk away from his partner, flipping the block of sun-kissed blonde hair that covered his left eye like that of a self-centered teenage girl. "Okay, okay, un. Whatever you say, Danna."

Deidara dragged himself out of the room he shared with his partner, jamming his hands into his clay-pockets, humming a pleasant impromptu tune. He tilted his head and forced an exaggerated grin at the red-haired ninja, blonde ponytail-captive hair flowing behind him like a golden banner as he disappeared from the room's confined view.

Sasori watched as his partner graced himself out of the room, limping slightly. He stifled a laugh at the sight of Deidara's right foot. The boy's foot was slightly sticking out from the Akatsuki footwear, the heel of his foot crushing that of the indigo-tinted sandal. "Clumsy brat," he said, forcing a slight scowl. How the boy managed to get into the S-ranked criminal organization was far beyond him. Deidara was a special one, that much he recognized. Sasori knew that all the members of the Akatsuki were queers, but Deidara…was a bit more than that. Would that make him. . . super-queer?

"G'morning, 'Tochi-kun, un." Deidara yawned, waving a hand-mouth in the slightly-disturbed sharingan user's face.

"Hn." Itachi backed away from the dangling hand-mouth that was jabbed in his face forcefully by its sheepish-looking owner. His blood-red eyes fluttered slightly at the sudden contact of wet tongues sliding over his nose. The feeling was utmost _uncomfortable_.

"How was your mission, un?"

"…Bloody."

"Mmm, really? How so, un?"

"Kisame did most of the work. If you are so curious, go ask him." Itachi snapped, looking as impassive as ever. The Uchiha began to walk at a quicker pace, hastening to escape a twenty-questions session with the Iwa S-ranked nin.

Deidara studied the raven-haired man for a second. "Don't you ever _smile_?"

Itachi stopped in his tracks. "Pardon?"

"Nevermind, un. I'll go look for shark-man."

"Hn." Itachi grunted in agreement, picking up his pace once again, eager to reach his destination.

Back in the comfort of his Deidara-ridden room, Sasori grinned at his new completed set of marionettes. He placed the twin brunette twin puppets on either side of the geisha-puppet. "Uo, Asuna, Riku." He whispered, touching each of the puppets at the corresponding names. He smiled down at his three most beautiful puppets, admiring their beauty for a lingering glance. He only needed a moment, for he knew he could always return to gaze at them whenever he wished it so. His art was eternal. The Suna nin frowned. He would need one more puppet to complete his new jutsu: one more beautiful puppet. He scratched his head, an action he rarely performed before the other organization members. "The new one will be male." He decided, a male would complete his new set. He needed a beautiful male, one that would melt right in with his geisha and doll-faced twins, one that would not prove useless.

Deidara re-entered his room he shared with his Danna, not bothering to close the door as he swept into the room's presence. Sighing inaudibly, he slipped off his hair tie and stretched it around his wrist. Golden hair streamed down his shoulders, a brightening contrast to the collar of his black Akatsuki cloak. Using his ringed finger, Deidara parted his hair to cover the left half of his face, frowning as he did so. He found the puppet-master scrutinizing his puppets, ash-rose eyes intensely scanning them as if priceless artifacts at a must-see display convention. Deidara blinked. There were two more puppets added beside the geisha one, he definitely did not remember those being there before. Both were strikingly adorable in an eerie sort of way. They looked identical, twins most likely, with cropped brunette hair that was combed to cover an eye on opposite sides of the gothic cherubim-like faces. Like the geisha, they both were clothed with plain crimson kimonos, adorned with white cranes embroidered near its hem.

"Danna? Are those new, un?" Deidara questioned, stepping beside the redhead, azure eye blinking at the new additions.

Sasori blinked. His eyes flickered to adjust to Deidara's features. His eyes widened a fraction at the sight. The boy was…beautiful…why had he not realized it before? Deidara's hair was out of its usual ponytail, it streamed down his shoulders like flawless golden-colored silk drapery. His high cheekbones and baby-blue eye enhanced his beauty, and his lips…'What are you thinking, Sasori? Snap out of it.' He reprimanded himself mentally. No, it was just because Deidara was up close. Up close, everyone was pretty. Well, maybe not Pein, but in Deidara's case, yes.

Sasori's eyes traveled down the Iwa nin's face. His lips were so… perfect… he was tempted strongly to _taste_ them, he wanted to grasp the flavor of those thin perfect lips so bad, even for a second--

"Ummmm, Danna?" Deidara said loudly, baby-blue eye locked with eden-colored ones.

Sasori blinked, eyes meeting the concerned ones of the blonde.

"You were spacing out, un." Deidara said, nodding slightly in confusion and backing away slowly. The puppet master had an expression on his face that did not match his character at all. Something bridging lust…Deidara shivered. _Sasori isn't like that!_ He repeated in his head over and over again: Danna was just thinking of unicorns, Danna was just thinking of unicorns, Danna was just thinking of--

"Brat, what are you mumbling about?" Sasori snapped, ash-rose eyes glued to Deidara as his hands subconsciously flew to adjusting his puppets at random joints.

"Er, Tobi was drinking conker thorns!" Deidara cried, forcing out an impromptu excuse, hoping that the puppet-master had heard zero of his out-loud thoughts. He doubted the Suna nin even knew what a unicorn was, let alone think about one.

"Whatever, brat." An odd thought entered Sasori's head. A Deidara puppet. He disguised a laugh with a series of odd-sounding coughs, a cloud-patterned sleeve hiding his upward-curved mouth. The thought of his partner as a puppet was hilarious. A mental image of floppy hand-mouths hanging out from the palm of wooden hands made Sasori cough-laugh harder. The brat was just so damn freaky it was so damn _funny_…Oh damn. Sasori was not supposed to laugh… it was extremely out of character. No, beyond his character. He was supposed to be the red-haired wooden version of the ever-so-impassive Uchiha Itachi.

"Danna, are you okay, un?" Deidara demanded, slapping Sasori's back with his hand repeatedly, "Are you choking? Are you hurt, un?"

Sasori calmed down a notch, eye still twitching slightly at the bemusing thought. He allowed the thought to flee from his mind, as he cast a sideways glance to his partner. "Come, brat. I need to test my puppets in order to confirm their strengths." He knocked Deidara's hand off his back with a shove of his elbow. For a moment or so, he thought the blonde actually had a look of _concern _on his flawless face.

Deidara blinked and grinned. "Oh. Good luck with that, Danna, un!" The blonde was as oblivious as ever, rubbing the back of his neck with a hand-mouthed palm.

Sasori scowled. "Are you slow, brat? You're testing them _for _me." The redhead gathered his puppet trio into separate scrolls, pocketing each of them in the compartments of his organization cloak, careful not to make contact with the fragile poison vials hidden also. He gave a flickering stare at the blonde before smoothening out his Akatsuki cloak. "Come, brat. We're sparring."

"Since when?" Deidara folded his arms across his chest childishly, his lips curved downwards into a frown that did not suit his features. His eyes were narrowed slightly, not of anger but of amusement. '

'_He's toying with me_', Sasori realized.

"Just now, brat," the redhead snapped, casting his partner the most intimidating glare he could muster.

Deidara grinned, as he trudged after his partner out of the room happy to be sparring with his Danna for the first…second time, surprised at the sight of Sasori sealing the door behind them. "Why seal it, un?"

Sasori cast him a sideways glance, he replied tonelessly, "Hidan."

Deidara shrugged, walking ahead of his partner in the direction of the makeshift training arena that had been created in a Kisame/Hidan/Zetsu brawl. He gave himself a mental note not to be alone in a room with the trio.

"What kind of training is it gonna be, un?" he asked curiously, gazing at what used to be the empty space between Konan and Pein's room and Kisame and Itachi's room, now known as "Sparring Arena". The words were craved onto the floor crudely, making the purpose of the area obvious. Deidara figured it was Hidan's deed.

The redhead remained silent, fidgeting with the sleeve of his cloak every now and then.

"Mmmm, Danna, why are you asking me to help? It's not like you ever asked me of all people, un." Deidara finally said, grinning widely like a teen that just saw panties.

"Brat, I don't have the time to ask Kakuzu or Hidan. Zetsu will probably eat my creations rather sparring with them (that I do not want), I would be distracted with killing Tobi instead of testing my puppets on him. Kisame and Itachi just returned from a mission that most likely left them both fatigued. As a comrade, I have no intention of troubling them." Sasori paused for air. "And that leaves you."

"Um…Danna? There's Konan, un."

Sasori turned a brilliant shade of crimson. "I've already walked in on her and leader-sama once, and I do not intend on doing it again."

Deidara nodded slowly understandingly, trying to block out sudden images that intruded his head. "Un…"

The puppet master skillfully set his puppet-scrolls on the cracked arena floor, as he licked his lips at the thought of strategy for his new puppets. His emerald-painted fingers gripped the waists of the scroll clutched in his hand. The scroll was labeled "婦" in neat brush calligraphy by his own hand. This crimson-shaded scroll was for Asuna, he took care not to rip or bend the edges of the fragile scroll.

"She's the only one I am using for today, do your best Deidara." Sasori announced, staring proudly at the coiled mahogany scroll.

Deidara's eyes widened in surprise. Sasori did not call him 'brat' for once. He called him by his _name_… "Danna, are you feeling alright, un?"

"Yes, Deidara," the puppeteer scowled. A cloud of white smoke erupted as Sasori summoned Asuna, silhouetting his figure and that of his geisha puppet.

As the smoke slowly cleared, Deidara could make out a stoic-looking Sasori and a kimono-clad puppet at his side, blue chakra strings barely visible clinging to its joints. Asuna's eyes were shut, her sleeves however, raised in a crucifixion-like position.

"Deidara, meet Asuna." Sasori slurred, introducing his partner formally to his new creation.

The clay artist however, heard none of what his partner just said, what the redhead just said was not important. He tried to take in that _other_ thought…the sound of his Danna's voice, _his_ voice pronouncing Deidara's name. 'Deidara, Deidara, Deidara', he ran Sasori's voice through his head numerous times on loop. It was soothing, Sasori's ever-calm voice slurring out the vowels and consonants of the Iwa nin's name. He smiled slightly, he wanted to hear it more…

"Danna?"

"What is it, Deidara?"

"Nothing, un."

Sasori scowled. Stupid brat. He never knew what was going on in the blonde's head. He always figured it was "ART IS A BANG, UN" permanently etched into the boy's skull. That or, "ART IS FLEETING, SASORI-DANNA. _FLEETING_". He sighed. He relented training with the pyromaniac. He found himself unable to meet the boy's gaze, the last time he looked the boy in the face, he was captivated and unable to turn away. He was training, for Kami's sake. Training meant no distractions, focus on your enemy, and sparing them no quarter.

"Danna, are you ready yet, un?" The clay artist crossed his arms across his chest once more, azure eye radiating impatience. In his right hand, Sasori could make out the form of a miniature clay bird, and in his left, a number of tiny clay spiders. Impatient brat.

"Yes brat, I'm ready."

Frowning slightly, Sasori jerked his index finger in an uppercut motion, Asuna obliging. The tall kimono-wrapped puppet's eyes flew open, springing into action. Twin crimson fans matching the color of her summoning scroll were produced from her draping, embroidered sleeves. With a second flick from an emerald-painted finger, Sasori ordered his new toy into a sparring position. Asuna's small fans flicked open, chakra strings gluing their metallic skeletons to the geisha puppet's slender wooden fingers: one fan prepared to sting and attack, another protectively above her ubi-choked chest.

"Asuna is basically a chakra-bank puppet," Sasori explained, answering Deidara's curious stare. "I stored about 45 percent of my chakra in her base. As long as I stick to using taijutsu with her, the chakra amount molded in her container will increase. Though she looks nimble, the chakra investing process is somewhat slow." He smirked reassuringly, "I'm still working on that."

Deidara's visible eye narrowed at the new puppet in his presence. He had a gut feeling that Asuna would not be like Hiruko or any of Sasori's other puppets, he'd best take mind to defense. "If your puppet needs taijutsu to increase chakra, then I won't let it un!" Deidara cried, chucking a number of pale explosive spiders at the fan-armed marionette.

Sasori smirked, ash-rose eyes flashing with an unreadable expression. With skilled weaving-like motions from his ringed hand, he maneuvered Asuna away from the rain of clay miniatures before they had even a slightest chance of making contact. Deidara scrunched a golden brow in frustration. This was only the first phase of battle, and already his opponent was getting the better of him. He chuckled to himself, '_At least he's calling me by my name, un_.' He thought, satisfaction planted over his features.

"Exploding spiders won't work, I should have known, un." Deidara muttered to himself. "Sasori isn't an easy shinobi opponent." Learning from his mistake, the blonde tossed a clay bird in his other hand, performing a quick ninjutsu to enlarge the miniature clay fowl. Leaping onto the smooth back of his jutsu-enlarged bird, he commanded it into flight. The clay bird swooped upwards, flying overcast its master's opponents down on ground. Deidara frowned at the sight of the Suna nin staring unimpressed-ly back at him. Something wasn't right.

He couldn't quite put his finger on what, until he saw Sasori's chakra-guiding fingers weave patters directed at the arena's ceiling—which happened to be where the Iwa nin was flying. "What is he _doing_?" Deidara growled. His eyes widened, however when he felt a hard slap on the side of his leg, and another that stung him on the arm. Crying out, he fell backwards onto the surface of the bird. Asuna stood before him, fans glinting maliciously.

"Asuna's chakra storage has probably gone up to at least 50 percent," Sasori called from the ground. "Her chakra investment is going quicker than I expected, since you aren't putting up much of a fight."

"Shut up, un!" Deidara retorted back, sending a sharp kick at the puppet's chest. The kimono-clad marionette faltered for a second, the blonde nin took the opportunity to give a harsher kick to knock her off his bird. He grinned triumphantly as Asuna's wooden figure slipped off the clay fowl, chakra strings slightly a darker shade of blue than before attached to her wrists.

"Who's not putting up a good fight, un?" Deidara snickered, only to receive a stricken look from his partner. Even with a higher amount of chakra, the puppet still lost to him on this one. Or fell and didn't pick itself up. Asuna clattered with a sickening thud onto the arena's cracked surface, her puppeteer smiling. Deidara faltered—wait, why was Sasori-Danna _smiling_? Didn't he just get his puppet knocked to the floor…?

"We're stopping for today," Sasori announced, collecting his fallen puppet in his arms and checking her joints and clothing for any minor damage. His ash-rose eyes scanned the wooden figure, fingers brushing over the marionette's cheek in soft strokes. Deidara watched the Suna-nin in captivation. Sasori's face was out of its usual stoic expression, and he seemed slightly more relaxed. Secretly, the Iwa nin liked his partner this way more. It made Sasori seem more… human. The puppet master's unkempt red hair seemed to assist with the softening look of his features, his glaring ash-rose eyes seemed more tranquil.

"Enjoying the view?"

Deidara blinked. He began to turn a shade of brilliant crimson, as his azure eye concentrated on an invisible pebble lying nearby on the ground.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Danna, un."

"Oh please. I saw. You were gaping at me like a love-struck Hidan. Wait, bad simile."

"Haha, Danna, was that a joke, un?"

"NO! It was a mistake, you ass."

"…Wow, so now I'm degraded from 'brat' to 'ass', un?"

"Un."

"Danna are you mocking me?"

"No, you're just seriously rubbing off on me, ass, now shut up, un."

Sasori mentally kicked himself at the last statement, while Deidara let out an airy laugh. He love Sasori like this, flustered and confused. It was rather cute. Sasori glared at his partner with a look that resembled a child who got his candies stolen.

"We're quitting for today. I think I know what to improve on Asuna's joints."

"Whatever you say, Sasori-Danna, un."

**A/N: Woahhh, that took a while, haha! I think I will submit my second chapter today too,… I'm putting this on DA most likely so I can find it easier, lol. I made up Asuna on the spot, I was thinking: SUNA! And then "A-SUNA". I'm not going to use Uo or Riku—yet. I'm more focused on writing SasoDei then puppet stunt spectacular. My DA's the same as my FF, if anyone's interested. The next chapter will have the entire Akatsuki, lol. Plot will develop, I promise.  
**


	2. Phase Two: Curtsy

A/N: Thanks for the reviews

**A/N: ****Thanks for the reviews! I feel a bit more encouraged to keep writing. Love you all reviewers, you guys are really my inspiration to keep writing. Thank you all so much! This is my first try, so I'm truly thankful for your encouraging reviews. Well, here's chapter two that I promised. Plot will start actually developing soon. I hope that there are still SasoDei fans out there, they inspired me to write this, after all. : P  
**

**SPOILER**: written in memory of Sasori and Deidara

**LISTENING TO: ****Misery Business**** - by ****Paramore**

**Disclaimer: ****If I owned Naruto,…No, I don't own Naruto. If I did, I'm sure half the male fan population would be shrinking away... **

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -**

**Marionette Phase: **_**Curtsy**_

" _It is time, my darling puppet! Your sea of audience awaits you. Untangle your strings and strike and impression, for you are my creation…that I hold most dear._"

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -**

Deidara lowered his head onto the comforting surface of his pillows, again, fatigued from the previous training he underwent with his roommate. Although the training was considered quite short, his muscles still ached from where Sasori's puppet stung. However, he could not find any way to _sleep_. No matter how hard he tried, his consciousness refused to transfer him to the dream world. Sighing with mental discomfort, he buried himself deeper into his little blanket-plus-a-pillow fort, trying to get a quick nap.

He closed his eyes and allowed his breathing to relax, he remembered Kisame and Itachi saying something about sleeping attempts a day ago when a similar situation occurred, only he had trained with Zetsu.

"In order to sleep, you must convince yourself that you're already asleep," the shark-like nin had advised. "It only makes sense."

"No, you must have as many pillows or blankets to provide for your comfort," Itachi had cut in.

"How would _you_ know? I've never _seen_ you sleep before in my_ life_."

"Kisame, I used to bribe Sasuke with my bed sheets to make him go to sleep. It works. My foolish little brother was smothered by six layers of fluffy white goodness. It was slightly disturbing however, he drooled on me."

"Woah, weasel. _Six layers_?"

"…He stole some from my parents."

"Wow, I never knew that little runt had it in him."

Deidara laughed. The thought of Itachi loaning blankets was kind of cute, although he was looking forward to meeting the Uchiha's younger brother as well. He was rather curious if Itachi's mini-me was just as stoic. '_I should be trying to get sleep, not thinking useless thoughts._' He scolded himself. Besides, he might as well give the sharingan-user's advice a shot. He had tried Kisame's already an hour ago, the shark man's idea did not bode well. His eyes shut close, preparing to re-try Kisame's suggestion anyhow until suddenly—

"GET OUT OF MY ROOM, ASSHOLES!" Sasori shouted, arms protectively wrapped around a puppet he was currently working on. His eyes were glued tightly to the smirking intruders, ash-rose meeting the colors of many. "I'm not counting to five. Leave." He hissed, hugging his puppet tighter. The intruders only seemed encouraged to further annoy both of the rooms inhabitants.

"Puppet-Boyyyyy! " A pieced-together Hidan slurred, edging closer to the protective puppet master. "Damn, I still wanna ask you one thing, fucktard. Why the hell'd you have to hide my limbs in Deidara's underwear closet?"

Deidara froze. His _Danna_ put Hidan's parts _where_? He pulled his sheet covers off from over his head, azure eyes widening in shock. What Hidan accused Sasori of doing was downright disturbing. And to think if Hidan's…manly…parts…were also resting in the comfort of his closet… he shuddered. He stuffed his sun-kissed blonde hair into his ears, trying to block out whatever else was going to come out of the Jashinist's mouth.

"Look, I knew where it was all along. It's just funnier to watch this body-less asshole try hitchhike with someone and fail." Kakuzu muttered, jabbing a thumb at Hidan at the mention of 'asshole'. "You should have seen him. He was _biting_ on Itachi's cloak like a _parasite_, hoping to get a ride or something. It was _funny._"

"Shut up. You're a fucktard too." Hidan seethed, sending a murderous glare in his tentacled partner's direction, only to receive a small chuckle.

"Tobi is a good boy! Tobi helped Hidan-sempai find his limbs! Tobi even went through Zetsu's underwear drawers, but Hidan sempai's limbs weren't in Zetsu's underwear closet, they were in DEI-SEMPAI's closet! Dei sempai has LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of underwear!" Tobi said excitedly, waving his arms up and down further prove his point. The orange-masked ninja stared at the other two in confusion. Hidan and Kakuzu were_ laughing. _Deidara clenched his teeth. The idiot didn't have to say it so goddamn loud. '_Dei sempai has LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of underwear!_' echoed in his mind over and over again.

"WOW. PLANT SISSY EVEN HAD A FUCKING _UNDERWEAR DRAWER_?"

"I never –snicker- knew Zetsu even…haha…_wore any_."

"Yes he does! Tobi saw it! He had really, really, really, cute underwear too."

"Wait, he wears boxers, right?" (this came from a snickering Kakuzu)

"Urmmm… Tobi did not see boxers." The masked ninja admitted brightly, still as oblivious as before. Sasori and Deidara were now completely ignored, Sasori thankful, Deidara greatly disturbed.

'_I'm trying to sleep, assholes! Stop giving me images!_' Deidara thought darkly, fingers digging into the softness of his blanket. He plugged his ears with more strands of silky blonde hair.

Hidan and Kakuzu were now in hysterics. Both were clutching their stomachs and and rolling on the puppet-littered floor. Sasori was getting a tad bit annoyed by this point, he placed his limp creation on an unoccupied side of his wall, and turned to face his laughing organization members. His eden-colored eyes flashed dangerously, lip twitching.

"I thought I made my point already, leave." He demanded, an emerald-painted finger directed at the open door. His eyes followed the retreating figures of the religious nin and the latter's partner. He let out a sigh of relief as the door clicked shut. He glanced back at the headless puppet he had been working on. The body was obviously a man's, though it was slightly bridging feminine. His eyes traveled to his wide-awake partner's horror-stricken face.

"I thought you were asleep, brat." He snapped, crossing his arms across his chest and leaning back against an unoccupied space on the wall. His eyes still had the murderous look he had meant for Kakuzu and Hidan.

"I was _trying to_. Until you know, I found out where you hid Hidan's…parts, un."

Sasori sighed, he lowered his arms to his side, and focused his gaze on a random puppet to his right. "What was I supposed to do? Bury them?"

"Un! Or something like that, un. You hid it in my underwear closet, nonetheless, un." Deidara began to blush furiously at the last part of his statement. He smothered his face in a pillow so his partner would not be able to detect the crimson on his cheeks, praying the latter saw none of it already.

"I'm sorry, Deidara. Not all of us are as smart as you." Sasori practically yelled, eyes flashing at his pillow-smothered partner.

Deidara flipped his head over to look his partner hard in the eye, blonde hair falling away from his eyes and ears. "What the hell, Sasori-Danna, un. You could have hid it in ITACHI'S underwear closet. Why mine, un? It makes me uncomfortable accepting that."

It was Sasori's turn to turn crimson, though you would have to actually try to look for the blush in order to spot it on the puppet master's cheeks. He refused to answer, eyes glued to the puppet-littered floor. He honestly did not want to admit that he was curious about what kind of underwear the Iwa nin usually wore. That and he needed to know Deidara's clothing size in order to create his 'replica'.

"You've been kind of _weird_ recently, Danna, un."

Sasori's head snapped back up. "What?"

'_Crap, did he figure it out already?_' Sasori thought frantically.

"Well, you're always spacing out…and you're leaving your puppets on the floor all the time now, un. You are usually a neat-freak," the blonde explained, sitting up from his once lying down position on his bed. "And you try not to look at me."

Sasori's eyes widened a fraction, especially at Deidara's last statement. "Look, brat, it doesn't mean anything." He declared, lying through clenched teeth.

"Well okay, Danna, un. Just concerned about you is all…" Deidara murmured, head flopping back onto his tattered pillow. His azure eyes did not leave the Suna-nin's figure however. Sasori's arms stayed limply at his side, the redhead seemed to be lost in thought.

"Danna? One question, un."

"…"

"Why'd you hide Hidan's limbs in my underwear closet, un?"

The red on Sasori's face started to become obvious.

"That's none of your business, brat!" the Suna-nin snapped, eyes still avoiding Deidara's questioning stare. He fumbled with the lip of his night-colored organization cloak. He had no intention of revealing the truth to Deidara. The truth was embarrassing, that or Deidara would see him as a stalker-pervert for the rest of his life. Everyone always got him wrong, that's how Sasori-logic worked. It happened when he was young, it happened with his grandmother. He did not want it to happen with Deidara.

"Mmkay Danna, just asking, un."

Both ninjas snapped to attention however when the door flung open, once again.

"Hidan, GO AWAY!" Sasori shouted, instinct creeping in.

A confused Konan stood in the opening of the doorway, a clipboard gripped neatly in her manicured fingers. 'The origami flower that usually lied atop her head was on the opposite side from its usual position. Clearing her throat, Konan freed several papers from the clipboard's fangs, and handed them to wall-leaning Sasori.

"Leader-sama has a new mission for you both." Konan explained, motioning to both the Suna and Iwa nin. Sasori raised a perfect, red brow, whereas Deidara merely blinked a sleep-deprived eye.

"The mission is quite simple," she began, "Please report to leader-sama for briefing. The details are in the paper I was to deliver to you both."

Sasori nodded, memorizing each detail written neatly on the paper he had received. Truth to be told, there was only an image of ramen on the paper, printed in _color_. Leader-sama usually used black-and-white ink, so this was considered quite rare. He followed Konan out of the room, a disappointed Deidara trailing behind the two. '_First, no sleep. Then, a mission,_' the clay artist grumbled to himself.

Konan led the duo into the fire-lit halls of the hideout, stopping every now and then to check up on the other members, and handing them their mission information as well. She now had a _parade_ of S-ranked criminals trailing behind her, consisting of a hungry Zetsu, chatterbox Tobi, impassive Itachi, dango-munching Kisame, cursing Hidan, yawning Deidara, sulking Sasori, and a silent Kakuzu.

"Fuck, I don't get it." Hidan grumbled. "Why can't you people just group us all in one fucking room, brief us, AND give us our information at the same time? For Kami's sake, some of us were trying to get sleep."

Deidara nodded in agreement to the last part. Sasori smirked at them both, knowing what was going to come up any minute. '_Someone's gonna say something smart, and leave you two looking like idiots!_' he thought to himself. Truth to be told, Itachi answered.

"You can ask leader-sama," Itachi pointed out, annoyed by the Jashinist's complaint and Deidara's agreeing stare. "Though he probably has a better reason then you ever would."

"Weasel, you damn keep reminding me about how much I hate you."

"I don't care."

"…FUCK YOU."

Konan hushed them both with a finger, and placed her palm on the sealed stone door that lay before them. The shinobi standing beside her seemed to all stiffen. "…Konan reporting, I have distributed the mission information. Briefing can now be applied."

On cue and with ease, the stone door slid open, seal melting away, allowing entrance into its engulfing darkeness. Deidara inched closer to his partner, his shoulder brushing the redhead's own. The atmosphere in Pein's chamber was eerie, and for some reason, the room always felt colder than the other ones of the organization. Konan smiled reassuringly at the organization members trailing behind her.

The silhouette of Pein could be slightly made out from the dimness of the room, Konan motioned the parade to stop sixteen feet away from their leader. As the leader of the Akatsuki, Pein had the highest respect. With respect came power, dominance, and of course, distance.

"Thank you Konan. You may now be excused."

Konan bowed with respect, turning to leave. Her footsteps echoed out of Pein's abode, the leader of the Akatsuki staring after her rather longingly. Many Akatsuki stared also after her retreating figure, each wishing they were in her position otherwise. Naturally, anyone would want escape from Pein's eerie room.

"The mission is quite simple, actually." Pein started, causing all the members to snap their attention back to his silhouetted form. "I only require half of you to go."

Hidan lost it at this point. "What the fuck? Then why call all of us here, dammit?" he snapped, jabbing a thumb at his fellow confused comrades.

Even in the dimness of the room, Pein's frown could easily be identified. "Because, they will be taking a mission similar to this later on. Please do not interrupt, Hidan." Pein answered, rather flustered with the religious nin.

Hidan cursed, curse morphing into a yelp when he felt a hard kick from his partner.

"…Thank you, Kakuzu." Pein said sheepishly. "Now then, if I may continue. The mission requires only half of us, as I have said. I am deploying Kisame, Itachi, Sasori, and Deidara. Your skills are better improvised due to the gravity of the mission. I need you all to be the first team."

The four mentioned shinobi nodded, anxious to hear more details, Deidara was now practically clinging onto Sasori, the latter secretly enjoying the contact.

"The four of you will form a team. Itachi, you are to be the captain." Pein announced, eyes flickering to meet the black ones of the sharingan-user. Itachi nodded in agreement, back straightening further to enhance an impression of responsibility and dominance.

"Understood." The Uchiha replied flatly.

"Wonderful. You four are to head to Konohagakure, there is something special there that I crave…"

Sasori and Kisame nodded, exchanging looks: figuring it was most likely just a sacred scroll, that or a special-priceless-artifact-weapon. They were both proven wrong however at Pein's next statement.

"The thing I require…is a bowl of Ichiraku ramen."

Itachi raised an eyebrow, Sasori doing the same, whereas Deidara and Kisame blinked in unison. Leader-sama had got to be joking. He needed four S-ranked criminals to go all the way to the fire country just to bring back a bowl of ramen? That was…uncanny.

"May I ask why…?" Sasori questioned, obviously sharing the same thought as his partners. His ash-rose eyes were filled with curiosity.

"Yes you may know." Pein chuckled, "I recently received news that they were making a super-rare-ultra-only-once-in-a-lifetime ramen. It is a very special ramen, understand? Ichiraku is only making three bowls of them, and I want to be the one to taste it. They are also quite costly."

Deidara's eyes widened a bit. Pein was still not making so much sense to him. "Um… Leader-sama, why do you need the four of us to retrieve it, then? It shouldn't be a difficult task."

"No it isn't, you are correct. Konan alone already bought me back one bowl." Pein replied rather flatly. "Though she made a mistake of wearing her cloak in the presence of the villagers, so there is no way that she can even enter the village once more. The plan is for Sasori and Deidara to buy the ramen, since they have zero recognition of your faces there. Kisame and Itachi are to be backup, they will not be entering the village however. Once in the gates of the village, Sasori and Deidara are solo."

The four shinobi nodded slowly in unison, still unable to grasp the concept; especially Itachi. Deidara however, was zealous.

"Wow, Konoha, Danna! Have you ever been there, un?" he chirped excitedly, baby-blue eyes brightening, grip tightening on the Suna nin's arm. His face was a mere inch away from his partner's

"Yes, once." The Suna-nin replied dully, turning a light shade of pink at such close contact.

"If Tobi may ask, are Tobi and everyone else getting the third and last bowl of this special ramen?" Tobi finally said. Zetsu and Hidan nodded in agreement from behind him.

Pein seemed to smile. "Yes, Tobi. I'm glad you're getting somewhere where everyone else isn't." Tobi beamed.

"Mind you all, this ramen is quite expensive. Kakuzu?"

The tentacle-ninja stepped forward, bowing. "Yes, leader-sama?"

"Please take out all the earnings for this month."

"E-excuse me, leader-sama?" Kakuzu sputtered, unbelieving.

"The expenses for one bowl of ramen is exactly one half that amount. The other half of our money will go the second bowl."

Kakuzu was resisting the urge to protest. Zetsu and Tobi, however seemed utterly intrigued. Glaring as he did so, Kakuzu distributed the large amounts of yen to Itachi, the latter pocketing the money in a compartment of his cloud-adorned cloak.

"Alright then," Smiling with satisfaction, Pein announced, "The mission will begin tomorrow morning. Dismissed."

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -**

Deidara trudged back to the room he shared with Sasori with a happy feeling in his stomach. He crawled back onto his mattress, eyes fluttering a bit before settling closed. He allowed his silky hair to splay over his face and pillow, lips pressing onto the soft fabric of the pillow. "Mmmmm," he murmured.

Sasori stared at the sleeping figure of his partner. He had debated whether or not to shout, "You're sleeping on my bed, brat!" but decided to let the blonde go. He sat on the edge of his bed, ash-rose eyes lingering on the rising and falling of the crimson covers, coordinating with Deidara's steady breathing. He closed his eyes, and allowed the thoughts to enter his mind once again.

"_You've been kind of weird recently, Danna, un."_

Deidara was right. He was being a bit unlike himself these days, and that was mostly Deidara's fault. Sasori hated admitting that he actually admired his partner's art, before they exploded that was. Deidara's side of the room was usually decorated with finished or half-finished clay miniatures, animals, people, objects… unlike wood, clay was soft, bendable… Just like he and Deidara.

Deidara would be considered sunshine, a bright cheerful element. An element that showed plenty of emotion depending on the Iwa nin's mood. Sasori, in his opinion, was considered moonlight. A serene, cold element. One that never tried to show emotion, but realized that it was bottled up inside him somewhere. In truth, he feared showing emotion. Showing emotion was showing weakness. Weakness was the common reason for death. Was this not the reason he turned himself into what he was now?

Sasori undid a few buttons of his cloak, he examined his wooden torso, the inhumane features of it all. His eyes trailed to his heart, the only human part of him left. The part, that grandma Chiyo had told him, "allowed him to _feel_". He hated the heart, yet admired it all at the same time. He hated how it made him feel weak emotions, but at the same while, he was grateful that it allowed him to feel anything at all. Especially towards Deidara. It was recent, he noted. He was slowly becoming…attracted to his idiot roommate, and he could not figure if it was a good or bad feeling. He closed his eyes, recalling an encouraging memory:

_"Is love a bad thing, Sasori-nii?" a toddler redhead asked, staring into the eden-colored ones of his superior, settling in his lap and staring out into the massive seas of sand of the desert that lay in the boundaries of Sunagakure._

_Sasori smiled lightly and patted Gaara's soft crimson hair that rivaled his own. He hugged the younger boy to his chest, allowing the latter more comfort._

"_No, Gaa-chan, love…is a good thing."_

_"Oh." Gaara seemed to be taking in the information fed to him._

_"When people love you, you have a reason to exist, a reason to fight for what you believe in." Sasori said, choosing his words carefully._

_"But what if people don't love you? Or you don't love?" Gaara's bright green eyes were practically piercing into the pools of his ash rose ones.  
_

_Sasori was taken aback by the young Shukaku-container-to-be's question._

_"I…I honestly don't know, Gaa-chan…"_

Sasori's eyes opened and flew to the ground. He still didn't know. Was love a good thing? He honestly did not know. As a young boy, he was often pursued by half the female population of his school, but he never felt any feeling towards any of them. However, when his parents died, he had felt a strong emotion that emitted from love…pain. Every time he had tried to love someone, what followed was always pain.

In truth, Sasori only felt a bubble of emotion towards his partner, he was unsure if it was love or not. It might have just been… an unnamed emotion for all he knew. '_Enough with this, I have things to do_,' he reminded himself. Settling himself to a nearby chair, he wriggled a sketchbook from a wall shelf that lay above his bed. Pulling out a calligraphy brush, he began to paint.

He observed every rise and fall of Deidara's face, concentrating hard on every small detail. His brush danced over the thin page of his sketchbook, slowly depicting the snoozing face of Deidara. Sasori was satisfied at his work, he continued to add more details and colors into his work. Despite the current work was just a mere sketch that would be used as future reference, he couldn't help but to continue. He was becoming addicted, and he knew it.

"Dammit, Deidara. You have to stop making me feel," he scolded, eyes softening at his partner's sleeping form.

**A/N: ****lolol read and review, kittens? **

**Thanks again for the reviews from before, they are very encouraging. I will try my best and write as much as I can! I've already written an ending, but I might delay it and write more chapters if I get more reviews…**

**-Parasol-chan**


	3. Phase Three: Tempo

A/N: Thanks to all my reviewers, I'm new on FanFiction, so I'm not really heard of (dhurr)

**A/N: ****Thanks to all my reviewers, I'm new on FanFiction, so I'm not really heard of (dhurr). ****Petite-Neko, this IS my first Fanfic, so I'm super-nervous and your reviews are calming me down a bit, and thanks for your support, Gravestone! TaYTaY-saMa, here's the chapter I promised you guys (thanks for reviewing x D ). ****JayJay-chan, you are awesome, and yes I will keep feeding you. I think I overdid the fluff in the last chapter, haha, but I loved writing the Hidan part. And hello Okami-chan, my awesome friend from DA and school, never knew you had a fanfiction account, desu As disturbing as it is, I kind of think Zetsu's cool… and now I feel bad for making him wear tighty-whities. I'm so sorry, Zetsu-san! D :**

**Zetsu: **As long as you give me people to eat, you are spared. **That or you wear Hidan's boxers on your head in the presence of all the reviewers.**

**Me: **Eeeew, Zetsu-san has sick humor.

**Zetsu: You want to lose an arm??** No, we can remove her head.** Yes…Point Taken.**

**Me: **Yes, Zetsu-sempai! I mean, No, Zetsu-Sempai! –stuffs boxers on head- There!

**Zetsu: **. . . We meant over your face, not on your head.** Boxers aren't hats, you know.**

**Deidara: Un!**

**Me: **Who's side **ARE **you on**!?**

**Deidara: The side that doesn't eat people if I side with them. –scoots over to Zetsu-**

**Me: **. . .Deidara, you're _**mean**_**.**

**Hidan: **Writer-bitch, tell me those aren't _mine _on your _head_.

**Me**: Ummm….LOOK! **A DISTRACTION**! –points at Deidara-

**Deidara**: I know I'm good looking, un, but Hidan's not that stupid of an asshole to buy that, un.

**Hidan**: You know, for once I actually agree with blondie. But I'm wayyyy sexier than you, asswipe. –winks-

**Deidara**: WHY YOU— **-sliceslicesliceslice-**

**Me**: AHHH! Deidara-san! Don't go cutting off people's heads with kitchen knives! We cook with those! I don't want to get AIDS.

**Deidara**: Well fine, un. Why don't YOU hold him. –tosses Hidan head to Parasol-chan—

**Me**: Ewwwww, I'm not touching that…. –hands head to Zetsu—

**Zetsu**: -drools- (Is very hungry)

**Hidan**: Um. Plant-man, you'd better not be thinking what I think you're thinking. I'm fucking unhealthy…WHAT THE FUCK, THE BASTARD _LICKED_ MY EYE.

**Deidara/Me:** LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL -shot-

**SPOILER**: written in memory of Sasori and Deidara

**LISTENING TO: ****Pain**** - by ****Three Day's Grace**

**Disclaimer: ****If I owned Naruto, Deidara and Sasori would have been makin' out like kittens all through volumes 28-32.**

**NOTICE: PeinxKonan a bit, I love that pairing…**

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -**

**Marionette Phase:**_Tempo_

" _**Dance my puppet, to the beat of my demanding foot, the claps of the audience. They admire you, Madonna! Show them, my stringed beauty…**__** "**_

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -**

Deidara woke with a stiff feeling in his stomach. "Owwww, un. It feels like I hit something hard, un…" he said groggily, opening his eyes a fraction. The brightness room pierced his eyes as he struggled to adjust, slitting his eyes and widening them like that of a camera lens. His azure eyes fell to the 'hard object' lying on his stomach. He stifled a gasp at the sight.

Sasori's head was resting on his bare chest, the puppet master's arms wrapped around his waist tightly. Deidara, blushing furiously, tried to pry off the stiff arms, only to be hugged tighter. Deidara hung his head over Sasori's sleeping figure, long silky blonde hair lightly grazing unkempt crimson-colored one. Deidara sighed. It was better not to pry Sasori off anyhow, he kind of liked the awkward position he was placed in. Besides, the redhead looked rather comfortable.

Deidara's eyes flew to a rough, brown folder-like object lying on the edge of 'his' bed. A calligraphy brush was lying lazily on its surface, traces of paint could still be seen on its horsetail tip. Curiosity getting the better of him, he leaned over Sasori's chest-hugging figure, careful not to push the sleeping figure off the mattress. Fingertips brushing the folder-like object's cover, Deidara leaned a little further and grasped the book with a pale hand. "C'mon...little further..." Success!

"A sketchbook?" Deidara questioned to himself. Flipping several pages in random order, he found that all the pictures had something in common. They were all sketches and design scans for Sasori's puppets. His breath was taken away by the art, however. He never expected the Suna nin to be such a skilled artist. The brush strokes were all fairly simple, and the colors kept quite simple. Footnotes were scrawled messily at certain limbs, indicating what each limb concealed, where poison was stored, how the puppet would correspond to attacking and defending of the opponent.

A certain page caught Deidara's eye. "This is…"

Staring down at the breathtaking page, an odd feeling struck him like a whip of lightning. He knew the contents of the page all to well. After all, it was him. He knew his own face anywhere, and he was quite surprised how Sasori knew his clothing size, all the way down to his underwear… His face burned at the sudden realization.

"_Danna? One question, un."_

"…"

"_Why'd you hide Hidan's limbs in my underwear closet, un?"_

So that was it. His eyes flew to the kimono design that the puppet master had illustrated for 'his' puppet. All the kimono's layers were snow-white, including the tight obi that would wrap around the chest, binding the kimono to the body. It was simple, but beautiful at the same level.

"Do you like it?"

Deidara jumped, nearly dropping the breathtaking book of designs in his hands. Sasori, now 'wide-awake' smirked at him, sitting in Indian-style beside him on the twin-sized mattress, a cheek propped against the backside of his hand.

"I don't know whether I'm ever going to have a chance to make it though. I honestly don't think Pein-sama would ever allow me to transform you, as much_ fun_ as it would be." Sasori grinned maliciously here. "I _have _performed transformations where my victims were perfectly conscious."

Deidara began to scoot away from the puppet master, setting the sketchbook down on the floor as he did so. The Suna nin shrugged and slipped off the wrinkled bedsheets, reaching for the scroll that contained Hiruko (piled neatly with several scrolls containing his other puppets). "You should prepare yourself also."

"Um…Danna, why were you sleeping on my bed, un?"

"Brat, I was _resting my eyes_. I don't_ sleep_. I don't need to sleep. And that was **my bed you were sleeping on**."

"OH." Deidara felt his face burn (again), bowing his head down to hide the blush. He honestly could not deny that he did have a small…some sort of feeling for Sasori, and it was bad enough that it was growing. "I need to talk to someone," he said aloud, rather flatly. Maybe Konan. 'Cause she's a girl, and girls were usually always free, and had a wider emotional range than men. Not to mention, they didn't have manhoods. At least the one he was stuck with didn't... Wait. She didn't, RIGHT??

"What?" Sasori blinked at him, holding the door open with a stiff hand, Hiruko's scroll in the other.

Deidara returned his stare with a sheepish one, pausing his thoughts about leader sama's blue-haired partner's sexuality. "It's nothing, Sasori-Danna, un."

The puppet master nodded dismissively at his partner's words. Deidara could be queer sometimes ,but Sasori did not deny that the blonde was intriguing. He was still curious about the waterfall of blonde hair that covered the Iwa nin's left eye. "What's there to hide, anyways…? He has a pretty face…" Sasori murmured. The puppet master decided to wave his thoughts away, he should be more focused on the mission. The mission was more important, even though it was quite ridiculous.

"Sasori-Danna, I'm ready, un!" Deidara announced, tipping his organization headwear over his head, the Akatsuki cloak's collar covering his smile. Sasori nodded approvingly at his partner as the duo trailed out the halls to meet up with Kisame and Itachi. Deidara, however, could not block out the thoughts that were invading his thoughts…the picture…the unfinished puppet lying on Sasori's side of the room. They all began to make perfect sense. _Uncanny sense_.

"Sasori-san?"

"What is it brat? No 'un' or 'Danna' this time?"

"Un… Why did you want to make a puppet from me?"

Sasori paused in his tracks, he slowly turned his head to face his partner's questioning stare. His ash-rose eyes slitted mockingly, lips curved into his signature smirk. He beckoned the Iwa nin to come closer with a wave of a ringed hand. Eager to drink in a reason, Deidara inched closer to his partner until they were merely inches apart, breath brushing the other's soft cheek, causing the redhead to tremble slightly at the contact.

Sasori leaned in to his partner's ear. "Because…I think you're pretty."

Deidara was struck solid, his superior's hot breath still lingering in his ear. '_What did he just say, un?_' he thought frantically. '_He's got to be kidding…_' Deidara took a few steps away from a smug looking Sasori, trying his very best to consume all the information just fed to him. It wasn't possible. He wasn't that feminine, now was he? At least say handsome--

"Yo, puppet-boy and blondie!" a cheerful voice said from behind the two. Sasori turned his head to face a blissful-looking Kisame and a solemn Itachi. Both were already dressed in their Akatsuki cloaks. "We're going to Konohagakure, chaps."

"What's a 'chap', Danna, un?" Deidara questioned.

Sasori shrugged at the question, "How would I know? It sounds like something that fits Hidan perfectly, though." Kisame let out a low chuckle, as he patted the confused blonde nin with a great blue hand.

From down the hall in the room Hidan and Kakuzu shared, a loud sneeze could be heard.

Itachi frowned. "Kisame, we should be leaving."

"Okay, okay."

"You bought the casual wear I requested, yes? We must take all measures to remain unsuspicious. You recall what Pein-sama said about Konan's mistake?"

"Yes, weasel-man, I remember and I did. Jeez, I'm not THAT forgetful you know."

Sasori gave the shark nin a curious stare. "You like to nickname people, don't you?" he questioned, scrutinizing the cloaked Samehada-wielder. Kisame nodded vigorously in response, grinning his infamous toothy grin. Itachi pushed back the urge to roll his black eyes at the idiots that now concluded of his 'team'. "Come, we're leaving."

**- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - -**

The trip to Konoha was quite annoying to Sasori and Itachi's opinion. Their partners, however, were enjoying every second of it, especially Deidara. Kisame was actually a pretty talkative person when not in leader-sama's presence, he discovered. Their chatty debates were mostly about which was the most creative and flashy way to torture Hidan.

"How 'bout we nail him to a billboard and staple 'rape me' on his chest? Not like he'll die from that, un."

"Haha, nice one, blondie. Too bad mines is better. I say we dress him up as a carrot and feed him to Zetsu. Besides, its no fun to get fucked while you're attached to a billboard."

"But…a carrot is a vegetable…and Zetsu is a plant-nin, un! That's like…cannibalism in Zetsu-san's case."

"Silly Dei-Dei! Hidan's human. No wait. He's an _asshole_."

Itachi's eyes narrowed at the two talkative shinobi trailing behind him. He really didn't need this right now, the faster they reached Konoha, the better. Sasori seemed to share his thoughts. The puppet master was in the security of Hiruko, moving on the forest floors rather than hopping from tree to tree like that off Itachi, Kisame, and Deidara. In truth, he envied the puppet master. The latter did not have two chatty shinobi trailing behind him and babbling away like love-struck schoolgirls. His head had begun to hurt hours ago, and it just recently got worse.

"The gates are up ahead," Sasori called with the gruff voice of Hiruko. Itachi nodded, raising a hand to motion for his team to stop in their tracks.

"Why are we stopping, un?" Deidara questioned, curious.

"Kisame, hand me the casual wear," Itachi commanded, ignoring the Iwa-nin's question altogether.

The shark-nin obliged, shoving a duffel bag into his partner's demanding arms. "Here ya go, princess."

Itachi sent him a lingering glare. "Kisame, cease the nicknames." He unzipped the colorless duffle bag and pulled out two outfits, each a different size and design. "Here. These are 'casual wear'. We must avoid all suspicion."

Deidara picked one up, examining it as he did so. "WHAT THE HELL, UN."

"What is it?" Sasori asked, staring at his partner with an annoyed expression. He sucked in a sharp breath and widened his ash-rose eyes when he saw what his partner was pointing at. One of the outfits was awfully _feminine_. "What the_ hell_."

"Hidan and Tobi chose it," Itachi said with a tinge of sick humor in his voice.

"It's kind of…angst-y." Kisame nodded in agreement.

The 'fem' outfit consisted of black buckled combat boots, a matching pinstripe (black and white) miniskirt, and colorless tank top that had the Konoha leaf symbol embedded in grey ink. Hidan obviously chose it, though the three S-ranked nin figured that the grey-haired man had done a great deal of convincing to Kakuzu. The outfit looked awfully expensive, judging from the quality.

"You're wearing it." Sasori said one sided-ly, shoving the outfit into his partner's protesting hands.

"Hell no, un!"

"Do we have to FORCE it on you?"

"TRY ME, un!"

"You asked for it, brat."'

What followed next were a series of melodious protests from the blonde crossdresser-to-be as clothing was forced off and onto his body. After what seemed like hours of writhing in pain and complaining, Deidara was finally transformed into--

"Something beau-tee-_fhul_" Kisame said, only to receive a subconscious kick from Sasori and a dismissive glance from Itachi.

"Stop staring." The Suna nin hissed, eyes narrowing dangerously at the shark-nin. He stepped over to Deidara, who was looking quite _pleased_ with how he looked at the moment. How odd.

"Protective, are we?" Kisame chuckled, patting the fem-Deidara on the head jokingly, as he received yet another sharp kick as punishment. Sasori scanned his partner down. Deidara looked _hot_. If 'hot' wasn't the term used to describe the Iwa nin in his current state, Sasori did not know what was. The colorless tanktop hugged the blonde's sides perfectly, emphasizing the curve of his hips and slender, pale shoulders. The skirt and combat boots only encouraged his stare to linger. Deidara looked fine in both male and female attire, Sasori mentally told himself, the blonde had the perfect face to match anyhow.

"…Like what you're seeing, un?"

Sasori's attention snapped back into place. Grabbing his non-fem outfit, Sasori marched behind a bush for privacy, cheeks slightly tinged with pink. Deidara took that as a yes. Smiling smugly to himself, he faced the stoic Itachi.

"Hey 'Tochi-kun?"

"Hn."

"How do I look?"

After a second or so, the Uchiha finally answered."…Flat."

Deidara's expression dropped. Damn, the Uchiha was right. '**Men: _boobs not included_**.' He told himself, frowning. But for a man to have fake ones was even more…ewww. Itachi smirked at Deidara's fallen gaze. The blonde seemed lost in thought, a indigo-painted hand scratching his sun-kissed blonde hair that was now out of its usual tie. "To enhance the fem," Kisame had explained.

"…Hair clips," a low voice offered.

Deidara looked up at the ex-ANBU ninja. "What?"

"Flat-chested girls usually look more attractive with hair clips," Itachi said monotonously, handing the blonde two, thin night-colored hair accessories.

"Woah, un…Where did you get these?" the Iwa nin asked, staring at the objects curiously.

"Lets just say I use them too," Itachi whispered. "Tell no one, or die."

Deidara grinned widely, clipping the right tuft of his hair and keeping the left part hanging over the corresponding side of his cheek. "Don't worry, un! Your secret is safe with me! I always wondered how you did it anyways, un. Your hair is pretty, 'Tochi-kun." Itachi nodded in thanks, heading off to a separate path guarded by rows of tall trees.

Itachi nodded slightly motioning for Kisame to follow. "This is where we part ways," the Uchiha declared. "Sasori and Deidara, here is the money for the ramen, and some extra for your stay…Sasori nodded and took the small pouch of yen from the team leader and packed it into a compartment of his…oh right. He wasn't in his cloak anymore. Damn...

"Sasori-Danna, you look great, un." Deidara chirped, complimenting his partner's attire. The blonde seemed transfixed by how the black hooded sweater fit his partner like a glove, and the tight grey skinny jeans bought out the delicate curves of the redhead's legs. Sasori's jet-black shinobi-sandals seemed to melt right in with the iridescence of black and grey.

"Alright then, we're moving out." Sasori said, pocketing the bag of yen in the sweater's chest-pocket, oblivious to his partner's stare. Deidara clutched his partner's arm in excitement, the latter resisting the urge to force him off. Kisame waved a blue hand, motioning a 'goodbye' as he and his raven-haired partner began to head towards a separate destination. Deidara waved back cheerfully, whereas his partner let out a grunt that sounded something like. 'Cummonbratlessgo.'

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"Konan."

"Yes, Pein-sama?"

"Do you think sending those four was the correct choice? I do not think I required all four of them to compete the task, I merely found it amusing."

"Pein-sama, I am sure one of them alone would have been able to finish the job, but I can assure you Kisame and Itachi will be pushed to the verge of boredom," Konan answered truthfully, while folding the delicate wings of an origami crane in her skillful, pale hands.

Pein nodded slightly, running over her answer. "You are right. I should not have sent them all, it was merely a bowl of ramen I craved. We are now at loss of members able to guard our base," he scowled, eyes narrowing into slits. As a leader, he felt as if he'd failed to choose what was best for his followers. This was not acceptable, even for him.

Konan dipped her head in agreement, before lifting it to give her partner a soft smile. "They do need a vacation, Pein-sama. Those four have worked pretty hard, they deserve it. This may be their chance, don't you think?" she said quietly, shoving a finished paper crane into the rough hands of her surprised partner. Pein's eyes widened, his fingers brushing over the soft texture of the colorless paper fowl in his hands.

"Here. For you," Konan murmured, an obvious blush filling her cheeks. She looked away, toying with the ring that wrapped around a painted finger. Pein seemed lost in thought also, giving her a curious stare before fully accepting his partner's creation.

"…Arigato, Konan."

Konan smiled shyly at him before leaving his side and exiting out the door to check on Tobi and Zetsu.

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"Sasori-Danna, wait up, un!" a breathless blonde pleaded, as he rushed to catch up with his black-clad partner. Sasori threw him a dangerous glare through his ash-colored orbs, lip curling slightly in annoyance. The brat was seriously slowing him down. Jamming his emerald-painted hands into the pockets of his jeans, he asked Deidara with a menacing tone, "What?"

It came out harsher than he intended it so, for the blonde shrunk back a bit at the bitter response.

"Un…you're walking too fast."

Sasori blinked.

"Then walk faster, brat." He snapped, his eyes flashing dangerously. "The sooner we get the ramen, the better. I hate villages. I hate crowds of people. I hate kittens purring against my leg, and this goddamn place has ALL OF THE ABOVE," he snarled, kicking a tabby cat with an extended foot. Deidara let out a yelp of surprise, bending down almost immediately.

"Danna! No animal abuse, un!"

The blonde rushed over to the horrified feline, picking it up carefully in his arms. He ran a pale hand in its fur, the cat purring rhythmically to his touch. "D'awww, its so cute, Danna, un!"

Sasori growled. "No it isn't. Deidara, put that_ thing_ down. I hate those things. I'm allergic."

"Danna, you're not sneezing though."

"Deidara, just PUT IT DOWN."

Sasori's yelling had bought the duo to the attention of a forming crowd. He began to feel claustrophobic as more and more people gathered around the pair, whispering and muttering under their breaths, pointing at the two between whispers. To his irritation, Sasori noticed that many teenage boys were ogling at his blonde partner with longing in their eyes. '_Perverts_,' he thought darkly, gripping Deidara's wrist tighter.

"That's no way to treat your girlfriend! The nerve, yelling at her! And she's a pretty one too!" A brown-haired girl yelled from the crowd, jabbing an accusing finger at an aggravated Suna-nin. The girl's intense chocolate eyes and matching hair tied into twin buns on either side of her head seemed to make her more intimidating, now that she was equipped with a fierce glare.

Sasori flinched. '_Did she just call Deidara what I think she called him...?_' he questioned, slightly pleased and disturbed all at the same while.

"Tenten, it's okay… I'm sure it was just a couple's fight. They usually kiss and make up later," a fuzzy-browed spandex-clad boy pointed out, putting a reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder. Tenten sent the boy a murderous glare. The chocolate-colored eyes now flashed a crushing charred brown.

"Lee, you know NOTHING about couples. You've never even been in a RELATIONSHIP before!"

"You don't have to rub it in."

Their voices were drowned out as soon as more people began to accuse a claustrophobic Sasori, making the latter grow more and more red with each remark. Deidara grabbed his partner's hand, launching their escape.

"Um, Sasori-Danna? Let's get out of here, un," he said shakily, Sasori obliging, allowing himself to be dragged away from the commotion of the crowd. It was official, he hated this place. It was no better than Suna. Suna was like heaven compared to Konoha, the only crowds that had usually formed around the redhead consisted of fangirls, and he hated them as much as he hated the crowd he just encountered. There were obviously side reasons why he left Suna.

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A sigh of relief escaped the puppet-master's lips as he seated himself beside his partner. The food must have smelled good, because the blonde's mouth was watering uncontrollably. Ordering Pein-sama's requested ramen, he handed the required amount of yen to the ramen-maker's daughter. The girl blushed as she was handed the cash, meeting the redhead's gaze. Sasori smirked, pleased with himself. Even after all these years, he still had a way with women.

"…So…Hungry…Un."

Sasori turned his attention to his food-deprived partner. 'Oh right. He hasn't had breakfast or lunch or anything…' Sasori thought, feeling slightly guilty for rushing his partner. He opened the small bag of yen the Sharingan-user had handed him earlier. The puppet-master frowned disapprovingly. There was only enough left for the room the duo were to stay in for the night. Not enough for a quick dinner, even.

"Brat, you can live without eating." Sasori said bluntly, shoving the yen-wallet back into the safe confinement of his sweater-pouch.

"No I can't! I don't see how you're not hungry, Sasori-san, un. I'm _starving_…"

It was true, Deidara did look quite famished. The cheerful glint in his visible azure eye was now nowhere to be seen, instead replaced with a somber stare. The blonde's hands were clutching his tank-top covered stomach, his mouth slightly open at the taunting aroma of delicious ramen that he could not eat.

The cashier girl stared at the pair with pity in her eyes. She smiled at them both. "I've never seen anyone like you two from around here before." She noted.

Sasori's eye twitched. Surely, this girl could not have found out already? It was true, there were not many people from around here that had any resemblance to the two at all. That was only to be expected, their village of origin was obviously not Konoha.

"It is because we have never come to eat here," the redhead offered politely, toying with the tie of the ramen package in his hands. "This is our first time." Technically, he was speaking the truth. Deidara moaned again, making his hunger level plainly obvious. The blonde's eyes widened with surprise as a bowl of steaming ramen was slammed in front of his face with a -**BANG**-.

"Here," the brunette cashier said quietly, pity forming in her eyes. "You can have this bowl for free. I'm sorry I can't give your boyfriend a bowl, I can't sneak that many bowls of ramen to customers, you see. It's just that you're so pretty...and you look so hungry."

Deidara's eyes widened, for two reasons. One, he now had delicious-looking food placed before him, and two, the girl had just dubbed Sasori as his 'boyfriend.'

"He's not my boyfr—" the blonde started, only to be cut off by a soft laugh from the uniformed cashier.

"It's alright really! Your secret is safe with me." The brunette casher whispered, winking. "As the manager's daughter and commoner of this village, I know personally that couples come to Ichiraku's to dine regularly."

Sasori's head snapped to give the girl a hard stare, whereas Deidara's visible eye bugged at her, dumbfounded. "Ummmm, okay, un."

The Suna nin watched his partner slurp the ramen in amusement. The blonde was eating rather ravenously as if he hadn't eaten for months. Droplets of miso soup decorated Deidara's heat-reddened face as he slurped in the ramen noodles in delight. String after string of noodle was sucked into the void of his mouth, chopsticks raised in a malicious manner. A hollow chuckle escaped Sasori's lips as he watched his partner dine with such…fury. The blonde was practically at war with the bowl of ramen.

"Finished, un!"

Sasori blinked. "That fast, brat?"

"Un. That was good, arigato!" He threw a grateful smile in the cashier's direction, returned by a soft smile from the girl as well. Sasori hugged the super-special-ultra-once-in-a-lifetime-made ramen package to his chest protectively. Weariness could be identified in the pools of his ash-rose eyes.

"Deidara, you can find us a place to stay for the night."

"…"

"Brat?"

The redhead whipped his head around only to find his partner asleep on the dining table, a rosy cheek planted on the miso-soup stained surface of the kanji-decorated table. Sasori sighed to himself. The brat had to fall asleep at a time like this. He did not blame him; Sasori himself was feeling tiredness creeping in.

Hoisting Deidara onto his back piggy-back style, the puppet master wrapped the drawstring of the ramen package onto his right shoulder. His eyes flickered to a stop at the blonde's snoozing face. Deidara looked so…comfortable, a head lolled onto the Suna nin's shoulder. Deidara's lips were slightly open, drool trailing down his jawline, but not enough to be dripping onto his shirt (thankfully.) Sasori allowed a smile to grace his lips. He had to admit, his partner was quite…cute…when unconscious.

Now to find a room….

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**A/N: ****I live on reviews! Feed me!**

**I need to give thanks to my reviewers again, thanks SO MUCH for your support. This chapter took me a while to write…might be the longest chapter I have ever written, to be honest. I might include side pairings if requested by any of you to do so, though I intend for the fanfic to revolve mainly around SasoDei. A few side pairings wouldn't hurt.**

**I promise you guys BETTER WRITING in the next chapter, I had a Algebra exam today, so my brain was math-a-fried, my apologies. Love you all! xD**


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